The Political Agenda, Inserting Opinion into CNN's So-Called News

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The Political Agenda, Inserting Opinion into CNN's So-Called News

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http://www.cnn.com/2011/POLITICS/04/28/birthers.side.show/

In an article titled "Slideshow over Obama's legitimacy continues for some" on the website CNN Politics, regarding the recent uproar over President Barack Obama's releasing of his long form birth certificate and there being clear and unquestionable proof that the document that was released has in fact, been altered before being placed on the government website. 

In the article their is an instant tone of sarcasm and bias as soon as one begins to read it. There is a wording that is prevalent in this article that insinuates that any notion of President Obama's illegitimacy is ridiculous or unfounded. The fact is that in a poll done by Gallup and reported on by nearly every major news agency, an approximate 62% of Americans feel that this is an important and legitimate issue.

CNN has taken their opinion and inserted it into the story. This is evident by claiming that the altering of the birth certificate (at least the one released to the internet) is an "unsubstantiated" instance of suspicion. Throughout the article there is a tone of the incredulous stance that CNN takes. Refusing to be an unbiased reporter and instead insists on forwarding their own beliefs and passing them on to the public as fact.

Under the heading: The birther movement: immune to facts? The article goes into the subject of Terry Lakin, the Army lieutenant colonel sentenced to six months in prison last September for refusing to deploy to Afghanistan after he questioned the president's birthright eligibility to be commander in chief. The issue raised by the "birther" people here is that if there has been evidence of Obama's legitimacy all this time, why have they not simply done all of this in the first part of President Obama's term in office? This man, Mr. Lakin has had a very distinguished career in the military. He was a man of honor and distinction who had served his country, and having legitimate questions about the president’s ability to wield authority, asked for answers and received none in return. Whether you agree with the "birther" movement or not, according to the Constitution all men are allowed to redress the government for response to their grievances.

The media in America has become, in many instances, nothing more than glorified blog posters. As with CNN and their opinion based news stories, there is prevalence toward insertion of opinion in issues that are brought to American's attention. One must be prepared to fend off the slick and polished method by which many media news outlets try to manipulate and coerce the people of the United States.